Sapphire princess - how early to board and drinks?

[Sabie4Me]

Hi! I'm leaving from long beach to Santa Barbara to Ensenada and back. How early can I board the ship? I heard that you can have lunch the day you board but not sure if that's the case. I can't find boarding times on their website.

 

Also, since there are good wineries and breweries in Santa Barbara, can I bring them on board but not drink them? Also, can I bring gallons of water in stateroom?i don't mind drinking the water on the boat but I drink a lot in the mornings and before I go to sleep so I'm just wondering. Not only that just lazy to get water when in the room already and I like room temp water.

 

Thank you.

[caribill]

Boarding usually starts around noon.

 

Lunch is available in a dining room until 1:30 PM.

 

Lunch is available at the buffet until around 5:30 PM at which time dinner is ready in the buffet.

 

The burger grill and the pizza stand will be open when you board until late evening.

 

You will not go hungry on embarkation day afternoon.

 

You can bring all the H2O you want onboard. However, since you like your water at room temperature, the water from the tap in your bathroom is very safe to drink.

Edited March 17, 2014 by caribill

[Pam in CA]

Hi! I'm leaving from long beach to Santa Barbara to Ensenada and back. How early can I board the ship? I heard that you can have lunch the day you board but not sure if that's the case. I can't find boarding times on their website.

You should double-check where you're sailing from as Princess, including the Sapphire, sail from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. She does not sail from Long Beach which is a completely different port.

 

Yes, even though everyone on board will tell you there's no lunch in the dining room on embarkation day, they do serve lunch in the International dining room deck 6 aft. However, they have a very limited menu, no salads or soups, just about five items total. We sat down a couple of weeks ago, looked at the menu and went "Yuck!" We didn't want a big heavy meal which were the only things on the menu.

 

Check-in opens at about 10:30, boarding starts between 11:30-Noon. First to board are the in-transit passengers who are doing B2Bs, then those doing the Bon Voyage Experience, then just Elite, then Platinum and finally general boarding. You'll probably board by 12:30pm and be able to go directly to your cabin.

[shredie]

You should double-check where you're sailing from as Princess, including the Sapphire, sail from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. She does not sail from Long Beach which is a completely different port.

 

 

I have heard some horror stories about confusing the ports. We once took to a shuttle to San Pedro, but the driver kept asking if we knew that was right. I guess he had driven a couple to San Pedro who were perplexed that there were no Carnival ships docked. He says he just left them, but after that, he always asks "are you sure." I don't think he really believed us, but when we got out of his van with smiles on, he knew he had done the right thing that time.

[MauiLvrs]

You will not go hungry on embarkation day afternoon.

If that does happen ... must have fallen asleep and missed the afternoon ;)

 

You should double-check where you're sailing from as Princess, including the Sapphire, sail from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.

What Pam said. Going to the wrong port would not be a good way to start your cruise.

 

Yes, even though everyone on board will tell you there's no lunch in the dining room on embarkation day...

We didn't have that experience in January ... but we didn't ask either. Just went to our cabin to drop stuff off and grab the Patter and then headed to the dining room.

 

Here is the menu from our January cruise:

 

20140124_130326 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

 

20140124_130332 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

Edited March 17, 2014 by MauiLvrs
Added photos

[shastatroy]

Mauilvrs - That sure isn't the menu on our embarkation day in January. That looks like the regular lunch menu.

[victory2020]

If that does happen ... must have fallen asleep and missed the afternoon ;)

 

 

What Pam said. Going to the wrong port would not be a good way to start your cruise.

 

 

We didn't have that experience in January ... but we didn't ask either. Just went to our cabin to drop stuff off and grab the Patter and then headed to the dining room.

 

Here is the menu from our January cruise:

 

20140124_130326 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

 

20140124_130332 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

 

Thanks for posting menu. Did you eat breakfast in the dining room? I had a mushroom frittata with Italian sausage & polenta on the Golden last Nov & was hoping they have it on the Sapphire. Also, did Sapphire 4 day have Beef Wellington?

[goodie2shoes]

Mauilvrs - That sure isn't the menu on our embarkation day in January. That looks like the regular lunch menu.

 

That's exactly the same menu we had on the 4 day Sapphire cruise we boarded January 9, 2014. I was so disappointed. No soufflé, and nothing edible (I tried the scaloppine and it was too tough to cut. We didn't eat much!

[Sabie4Me]

Thank you for the replies. :)

 

Was that menu posted for the main dining room for lunch? Just curious which dining area and if it was lunch or dinner.

Was it really the same menu everyday? Eww

Thanks.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Sabie4Me

[RickEk]

Thank you for the replies. :)

 

Was that menu posted for the main dining room for lunch? Just curious which dining area and if it was lunch or dinner.

Was it really the same menu everyday? Eww

Thanks.

 

Yes, that's a MDR lunch menu. And no, the menu changes everyday for all meals.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Mauilvrs - That sure isn't the menu on our nembarkation day in January. That looks like the regular lunch menu.

 

This was the menu on our January cruise. Sabine, menus change daily.

 

No beef Wellington on 4 day cruises. No lobster either, but escargot was served. Beef Wellington and lobster are served on 7 days or more cruises.

[IECalCruiser]

The menu MauiLvrs posted is part if a new set of menus apparently for the West Coast 3/4 day cruises. We had that menu for our embarkation lunch on the Sapphire on January 20. There have not been posts of these menus being used on the 4/5 day cruises out of FLL. The old embarkation lunch menu with salmon and medallions of beef entrees and orange soufflé for dessert was used on our March 5 cruise on the Grand out of San Francisco :) :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited March 18, 2014 by IECalCruiser